Are you missing one or more teeth and want to fill in the gap?
According to the American College of Prosthodontists, 178 million Americans are missing at least one tooth. And more than 35 million Americans have no teeth at all. The loss of a single tooth can set a course that may lead to the destruction of an entire mouth. Just like two gears of a motor that are not aligned properly, over time, things will wear down and eventually break.
Reasons to Replace Missing Teeth at Levesque Dentistry
These are just a few of the reasons why you should replace missing teeth:
Tooth Alignment
When you lose a tooth, neighboring teeth can shift position in the jaw, moving into the vacant space. Other teeth will continue to drift and move. Eventually, the alignment of teeth can become significantly altered, affecting not only the appearance of your smile but also the ability to chew and speak comfortably.
Healthier Gums
Teeth can help to protect the gums from bacteria that cause gum disease. When a tooth is missing, it exposes a large area of gum, making it more susceptible to gum disease.
Protection of Bone
It may be hard to believe, but the teeth are vital to retaining bone structure in the jaw and face. When a tooth is missing, the bone starts to deteriorate. Without replacing the tooth, loss of bone is so significant that it affects neighboring teeth. Patients with missing teeth will experience changes in their appearance as the jaw sinks inward.
Our Tooth Replacement Options
Dr. Vogel and Dr. Levesque offer a full range of tooth replacement options to meet your unique needs and goals. Restoring your smile as soon as possible
Dental Implants: Dental implants are surgically placed in the upper or lower jaw, serving as replacements for missing teeth. A dental implant looks and feels like a natural tooth. It helps to stabilize your jaw and does not affect healthy, surrounding teeth.
Made of titanium or other materials compatible with the human body dental implants are a permanent solution for missing teeth, with over a 95% success rate, dental implants require no maintenance or additional costs.
Dental Bridge: A dental bridge is a removable appliance for replacing one or several lost teeth. As with dentures, a dental bridge can be removable (known as flipper teeth) or anchored by a dental crown or dental implant.
Dentures: More natural looking and feeling than ever before, dentures or partial dentures can be used when a patient is missing several teeth. With the same look and function of natural teeth, dentures allow patients to chew, speak and smile normally.
Full dentures replace all of the upper or lower teeth and can be fixed or removable. Fixed dentures are supported by dental implants. These offer long-term benefits and require maintenance similar to natural teeth.
Partial dentures are used when one or more natural teeth remain in the upper or lower jaw and prevent remaining teeth from changing positions. As with full dentures, a partial denture may also be fixed or removable.
Missing Teeth FAQs
Can missing teeth cause health problems?
Missing teeth may put patients at a greater risk for cavities, teeth shifting, tooth decay, and gum disease. Gum disease may lead to other health issues including diabetes, heart disease, Alzheimers, and cancer. It is important to replace missing teeth as soon as possible, so that they do not cause other health issues.
Can a missing tooth affect other teeth?
Missing teeth can affect surrounding teeth. One missing tooth may result in teeth shifting and the loss of more teeth. The gap created by one missing tooth can negatively affect your overall oral health.
Can missing teeth change the shape of your face?
Untreated missing teeth have the potential to alter the shape of your face. In most cases the loss of bone may cause loss of facial structure. Missing structure may also cause the jawbone to shift forward, causing a misaligned bite.
Can missing teeth cause breathing problems?
Snoring can be caused by missing teeth. This may be caused by an accident, or a surgical removal.
Can missing teeth cause neck pain?
Bite irregularities can occur when a tooth is missing. This can cause a variety of problems, including tooth decay, headaches, neck pain, and jaw muscle pain. Gum disease is more likely to develop if you lose a tooth.
Can missing teeth cause wrinkles?
Wrinkles that run from your mouth to your cheeks can be caused by missing teeth. As a result, your appearance may seem older than it really is.
What happens to your jaw when you lose your teeth?
One or more teeth missing results in bone loss because the bone in that area no longer receives the stimulation it needs to grow. If you continue to lose bone mass, the remaining teeth in your mouth will lose strength and the ability to support your facial structure which will change the shape of your smile.